Long-term abuse claims against unnamed coach

The crisis for Australian swimming is likely to deepen this week with fresh allegations that a senior coach was investigated for engaging in the long-term sexual abuse of students.

A highly sensitive police inquiry conducted following the Sydney Olympics included interviews with up to 30 potential victims and witnesses.

There is no suggestion that today's revelations are in any way connected to those currently levelled at high-profile coach Greg Hodge or at national women's coach Scott Volkers.

At least two detectives from the NSW Child Protection Enforcement Agency were assigned to the case, but most victims declined to lodge a formal complaint, saying they wanted to get on with their lives.

It is not clear whether the claims related to the high-profile mentor's contact with former Australian Olympians, swim school pupils or both.

The allegations, some of which are thought to date back to the 1980s, began to surface within sporting circles 18 months ago.

This follows a turbulent week for Australian Swimming after Mr Hodge was accused of inappropriately touching former student Emma-Louise Fuller.

The accusations have led to:

Two more people, including Darren Collins, filing complaints against Mr Hodge with Australian Swimming chief executive Glenn Tasker.

Another person, a 25-year-old woman, also considering legal action.

Ms Fuller, 20, applying for an apprehended violence order in Sydney's Sutherland Local Court this week.

For Mr Hodge's wife, Sue, the events of the past week have been "very distressing" but nothing prepared her for the new claims made yesterday.

Mrs Hodge, 53, said she was incredibly surprised to be included in the allegations made by Mr Collins, of Canberra.

With his wife too upset to respond to the fresh accusation, Mr Hodge stepped in to say: "This has come as a shock to us."

"This has gone too far.

"This is about me, this case - not about my family or my wife."

The mother of two has been standing defiantly beside her man after Channel Nine's A Current Affair program aired Ms Fuller's claims last Monday night.

"Nobody likes to hear these kind of allegations about somebody you've lived with 33 years and you know that it's not the case," she said.

"I'd say, if it were possible, we are now even more committed to each other through a bond of love, I suppose, than we ever have been."

And Mrs Hodge will not be pushed around, telling the complainants that they should "put up or shut up".

"Our attitude is 'bring it on'," she said.

"Take it to the police and let's go through the proper process.

"The continued discussion of these allegations in a public forum, like newspapers and on television, is nothing more than trial by media.

"There are places and processes where these issues should be and that's before the court and anything else is disgusting."

A reporter from Channel Nine rang the family home in southern Sydney a fortnight ago, alerting Mr Hodge to Ms Fuller's allegations. "I was a little frightened and a little disturbed that a media organisation can be in possession of things that, in all circumstances, should be before the court," Mrs Hodge said.

Mr and Mrs Hodge spent last weekend trying to stop the television network airing the segment. But, in the end, the couple watched it together.

"I was bitterly disappointed that the spins on images can make the innocent seem so smutty and disgusting. There was a scene where (Ms Fuller) alleges Greg bought her jewellery and she showed a bracelet. People watching it would assume that piece of jewellery was bought for her specifically by Greg, but in fact it was bought by Greg and myself and we bought three of them when she was living here. We bought one for her and one for both our daughters."

Mrs Hodge said her daughters, Jodie, 30, and Katie, 26 - once good friends with Ms Fuller - were soldiering on.

The accusations and public scrutiny have left Mrs Hodges, a special education teacher, unable to sleep and forced her to take leave from her job.